Apparatus for the feed-in and for distribution of an electric current

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for feeding and distributing an electric current in electric line rails, which comprises a profiled carrier rail having a longitudinal, central receiving channel. Pole rails are disposed in superposed planes inside of the profiled carrier rail on both sides of the receiving channel. A zero conduit rail and a grounding rail are also provided. Both last mentioned rails are disposed in the receiving channel. A terminal box carries a lamp capable of being coupled at any selected point of the electric line rails. A terminal coupling connects at one point of the carrier rail at least one main to the rails on the side of the carrier rail, and an electric line rail comprises at least three pole rails, the zero conduit rail, and the grounding rail. The coupling includes a frame-shaped housing of insulating material which is longitudinally rectangular, and open in an upward direction and closed downwardly by a removable cover. A coupling plug body has its cross-section adjusted to the cross-section of the receiving channel and is integral at least one end side of the frame housing and step-like setoff and projecting relative to the latter. The coupling plug body has transmission contacts for the electric current corresponding with the contact rail arrangement in the electric line rail disposed in planes superposed, adjacent each other in pairs and laterally projects, and a grounding member extends beyond the transmission contacts and is disposed corresponding with the grounding rail on the side of the electric line rail. The coupling plug body is also equipped with a clamping means for causing a mechanical clamping holding of the coupling in the electric line rail, and comprises a guide plate, retained on the bottom side of the coupling plug body and engages over parts of the width on both sides in longitudinal pockets of the carrier rail free of the contact rails, and a clamping plate, provided in a longitudinal guide slot of the carrier rail in a plane therebelow, arranged onesided only on one side of the conduit rail, and free of the rails, in order to insure a non-interchangeability during insertion of the coupling. A tension screw clamps together the guide plate and the clamping plate, as well as a carrier rail stay therebetween, against the latter and relative to each other.

United States Patent 1 Seelbach et al.

[ APPARATUS FOR THE FEED-IN AND FOR DISTRIBUTION OF AN ELECTRIC CURRENT [75] Inventors: Heinz Seelbach, Kierspe; Gerhard Eversberg, Ludenscheid, both of Germany l [73] Assignee: Firma Erco-Leuchten K. G.,

Reininghaus, Germany [22] Filed: Feb. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 225,445

[30] Foreign Application Priority Data Feb. 11, 1971 Germany P 21 06 422.2

[52] US. Cl. 191/23, 174/99 B [51] Int. Cl B60m l/34 [58] Field of Search 174/99, 99 B, 75; 191/22, 23, 23 A, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 44.1

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,546,367 12/1970 Hart 191/23 A 3,489,981 l/l970 Corl 191/23 A 2,863,009 12/1958 Robinson 191/23 A Primary Examiner-Gerald M. Forlenza Assistant Examiner-D. W. Keen AttorneyErnest G. Montague [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for feeding and distributing an electric current in electric line rails, which comprises a profiled carrier rail having a longitudinal, central receiving channel. Pole rails are disposed in superposed planes inside of the profiled carrier rail on both sides of the receiving channel. A zero conduit rail and a grounding rail are also provided. Both last mentioned Jan. 1, 1974 rails are disposed in the receiving channel. A terminal box carries a lamp capable of being coupled at any selected point of the electric line rails. A terminal coupling connects at one point of the carrier rail at least one main to the rails on the side of the carrier rail, and an electric line rail comprises at least three pole rails, the zero conduit rail, and the grounding rail. The coupling includes a frame-shaped housing of insulating material which is longitudinally rectangular, and open in an upward direction and closed downwardly by a removable cover. A coupling plug body has its crosssection adjusted to the cross-section of the receiving channel and is integral at least one end side of the frame housing and step-like setoff and projecting relative to the latter. The coupling plug body has transmission contacts for the electric current corresponding with the contact rail arrangement in the electric line rail disposed in planes superposed, adjacent each other in pairs and laterally projects, and a grounding member extends beyond the transmission contacts and is disposed corresponding with the grounding rail on the side of the electric line rail. The coupling plug body is also equipped with a clamping means for causing a mechanical clamping holding of the coupling in the electric line rail, and comprises a guide plate, retained on the bottom side of the coupling plug body and engages over parts of the width On both sides in longitudinal pockets of the carrier rail free of the contact rails, and a clamping plate, provided in a longitudinal guide slot of the carrier rail in a plane therebelow, arranged one-sided only on one side of the conduit rail, and'free of the rails, in order to insure a non-interchangeability during insertion of the coupling. A tension screw clamps together the guide plate and the clamping plate, as well as a carrier rail stay therebetween, against the latter and relative to each other.

15 Claims, 21 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJAH H974 3,783,203

SHEET GDP 9 PATENTED JAN 1 I974 SHEEI 7 UF 9 PATENTEDJAH 1mm 3,783,203

sum ear 9 f IWE 15 5 J l APPARATUS FOR THE FEED-IN AND FOR DISTRIBUTION OF AN ELECTRIC CURRENT The present invention relates to an apparatus for feeding and distributing electric current into electrical bar rails, wherein pole rails, a zero conduit rail as well as, separately therefrom, a grounding rail are provided superposed in planes, within a profile carrier rail on both sides of a longitudinally aligned, central receiving channel; whereby at any desired point of this line rail a terminal or connection box which carries a radiation lamp is insertable in plug-like relation, and whereby at one point of the carrying rail there is provided a terminal coupling which connects the power-supply conductor or conductors with the contact rails on the bearing rail.

During the operation of electrical line rails, where at any desired point, a terminal box which is provided with a radiation lamp can be inserted in plug-like relation, it is required that the electric current be fed-in, at one point. Moreover, in rail branch lines it is required that also the current-feeding contact rails are to be connected for communication by means of connecting pieces.

It is one object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the feeding and for distribution of an electric current, in which a device is designed for the feed-inas well as for distributing electric current in such a way, that it will be universally applicable, starting with a simple basic construction.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for the feeding and for distribution of an electric current, wherein, for the feed-in and for the distribution of an electric current, in case of an electric line rail comprising at least three pole rails, a zero conduit rail as well as a grounding rail, at least at one end side of an essentially longitudinally rectangular insulating material housing of a terminal coupling which is open on top and is capable of being closed on the bottom by means of a removable cover, a coupling plug body adjusted to the cross sectional design of the longitudinal channel on the side of the carrier rail is integral ly step-like set off, relative to the frame housing. The coupling plug body has, on the one hand, corresponding with the contact bar arrangements in the line rail, laterally projecting transmission contacts for the electrical current, arranged in planes and, pairs adjacently superposed and, on the other hand, a grounding member is disposed advanced relative to these contacts corresponding with the ground rail on the side of the line rail, as well is equipped with a clamping device, causing a mechanical clamp-holding of the coupling in the line rail, which clamping device comprises a guide plate held on the bottom side of the coupling plug body and engaging along parts of the width, on both sides in longitudinal guides of the line rail free of the contact bar, and a clamping plate provided in a plane therebelow, engaging only on one side in a longitudinal is provided only on one side of the line rail and likewise free of the contact bar, in order to warrant the non-interchangeability during insertion of the coupling.

. The guide plate and the clamping plate receive a carfact that, starting with a single basic construction type, a plurality of possibilities of application is provided. This starting body consists of a frame-like housing portion and a coupling plug body on one-sided integrally connected therewith, which is equipped with transmission contacts for the electric current. Due to its frameshaped construction, this basic body has an opening, of necessity, relatively large toward the top, meaning toward the fastening surface of the carrier rails, through which opening the connecting cable can be inserted into the frame housing, without difficulties. Toward the bottom, this frame housing is closed by means of a cover closure, capable of being hooked in, so that the mounting can be effected from below, that is the connection of the mains conductor to the connection bushings can be effected easily and without effort. After closing the cover, a complete encapsulation of the terminals in the interior is also achieved from below.

It is also preferable in connection with the terminal coupling of the invention, that a grounding contact is situated at the coupling plug body such that the latter is runs ahead, so that when the coupling plug body is inserted at the front side into the electrical line rail, at first the grounding contact will come into contact with the grounding rail on the side of the carrier rail, which is important for the safety of the device. Only timely thereafter does the ground contacting the actual current-feeding contacts establish contact with the contact rails withintheline rail, which contact rails are set back relative to the front face of the line rail.

In this terminal coupling of the present invention, a mechanical connection between this coupling and the line rail is also provided, so that the connecting coupling need not be held only by the spreading pressure of the terminal contacts, so that the latter assume only true contact functions. This mechanical holding is effected by two plate-shaped structural elements on the coupling plug body capable of being clamped against each other, by securely clamping a rail part of the carrying rail between these plate components. An additional advantage resides in the fact, that one of these two plates is provided with a polarity nose which permits the insertion of the terminal coupling only in a specific predetermined position. By this arrangement the non-interchangeability will take place during the insertion of the coupling.

The terminal coupling of the present invention which comprises a rectangularly frame-shaped housing part and a coupling plug body attached thereto integrally, can now function in this basic embodiment, for example, as a terminal coupling upon connection at the mains conductors with the connection bushings of the coupling. In'this connection, it is equally possible to simply omit the transmission contacts at such a terminal coupling, thereby forming a so-called contact-free end piece, which can be arranged merely by a mechanical clamping at the end of a bearing rail remote from the feed-in point.

In a further embodiment of the present invention, for the purpose of distribution of an electric current, coupling plug bodies with contacts can also be provided on the other sides of the frame housing, so that there can be formed, in this manner, double couplings, angular or T-shaped connecting pieces, can be as well, as those of a cross-shaped configuration. In all these structures, the center part is designed hollow and frame-shaped, so

that also within the range of these coupling members which, serve as connectors, selectively, also a feed-in and thus a connection of the mains conductors with the terminal bushings is likewise possible, as well as a separation of the circuits, respectively.

These examples alone will show how starting with a basic construction, in prefabricated parts assembly, a plurality of possiblities can be created in order to feed in and to distribute the electric current in an economical and structurally simple manner.

The present invention can be embodied for example in one manner by designing the transmission contacts, substantially as Z- to S-shaped contact members, which are received in the coupling plug body in air and operating pockets in superposed and adjacent arrangements in housing parts and formed as swinging transmission contacts.

The latter are secured on the upper side, by a cover plate which is braced upwardly against the upper side of the coupling plug body, and on the bottom side, are secured by the guide plate in the coupling plug body which also is braced against the lower side of the coupling plug body. Also their contact ends which extend laterally from the coupling plug body are each stressed by their own spreading member, which is accommodated in the interior of the coupling plug body, while their ends on the terminal side, which extend into the frame housing, each support a terminal bushing.

As a result, on one hand, the transmission contacts are provided in a position which corresponds with the arrangement of the contact rails in the electrical line rail and, on the other hand, these transmission contacts are disposed spaced from one another, at distances which are so large, that the prescribed air-and leakagedistance for the electric currents can be taken into account. Moreover, by this structural embodiment, a compact, encapsulated construction for the arrangement of the transmission contacts is achieved. This is also of decisive importance for the mounting, manipulations associated with the terminal couplings.

The present invention also suggests embodies for the spreading stress of each swinging contact, a doublearmed, essentially fork-shaped spring member, for example a forked blade spring, whose center region is mounted upon a bearing pin, within the body and engages the contact end in pretensioned condition.

Although this embodiment provides a double-armed forked blade spring, it is by no means impossible in this connection, to employ spring members which deviate therefrom, as long as they guarantee the swinging out of the swinging contacts.

Also the insertion or plugging-in of the terminal coupling is also made more favorable by this highly preferable design of the swivel conacts, because the latter are widened at their contact ends, and the corners which come in contact with the contact rails terminating with space on the side of the line rail ahead of the front ends of the rail, are formed with rounded-off gliding curves.

Due to the fact that in this structural design, the swinging transmission contacts need to effect only relatively short strokes, it is also not necessary to mount these swinging contacts on special axes on the housing side, rather their mounting without a hinged axis is completely adequate, so that with little expense, from the purely structural viewpoint it, can be operated.

So that the connection of the mains conductors to the terminal bushings on the side of the terminal copling can also be carried out in a favorable manner, it is advantageous, that the swinging transmission contacts,

which as pairs have the same shape (form), be provided with variable lengths, so that the ends of the swivel 5 contacts which carry the terminal bushings lie in one plane behind each other, on the side of the frame housing. It is obtained thereby, that all terminal bushings are easily accessible and clearly arranged.

it is also of importance in connection with the novel terminal coupling, that the terminal boxes, which are situated in planes above and behind each other, be shielded against one another by means of partition parts on the side of the housing, which parts extend upright between both terminal bushing planes. These provided partitions present namely a terminal wire, which is inserted into one of the terminal bushings from coming into contact with the connecting screw or with the terminal bushing of a swinging contact positioned thereabove. This eliminates the danger of a short circuit, as well as of injuries, since, in any case, insulating paths are provided between .the terminal contacts.

In addition to a compact arrangement of the terminal bushings in the narrowest space, the grounding contact also lies on the side of the terminal bushing in the longitudinal center plane of the coupling plug body, between the swinging transmission contacts and is fed out from the body by curves displaced relative to the height of the plane, on one side of the swinging transmission contacts, and is formed into an approximately C- shaped bracket which braces with both ends against the side of the body. In this manner, all connecting operations can be carried out virtually at one point.

A simple and sensible construction of the present invention is provided by the fact that a common hollow centering sleeve securing member projects through the plug body to hold thereat the cover plate which covers the upper side of the swinging transmission contacts against the coupling plug body, and which cover plate extends into the frame housing up to the range beyond the terminal bushings, as well as the guide plate which encapsules the lower side of the swinging contacts against the body and which ends on the side of the frame housing in front of the range of the terminal bushings, and the clamping plate, which is provided on one side with a polarity nose in order to prevent against a mix-up during the insertion.

This embodiment of the present invention shows how with one single component not only an absolutely reliable centering of all participating components can be obtained, but also that, with the aid of these centering means, they can be held together securely and reliably.

The guide plate on the side of the coupling plug body thus fulfills several functions by the fact that, on one hand, it serves to protect the swinging transmission contacts, which are placed into the plug body, as well as the pretensioned spreading members from falling out, and, on the other hand it, is able to assume pure guide functions of the terminal coupling, and finally it, defines with one of its sides, an abutment for the termi' nal rigging which develops between the guide plate and a terminal or clamping plate which is placed in front thereof.

This clamping tensioning is also effected by a single tightening screw which is provided at the peak of the coupling plug body and is easily accessible from the bottom and which engages a spreading pin within the coverplate, penetrating thereby with its shaft through the entire plug body.

Another highly advantageous feature of the present invention lies also in the fact, that the insulating material frame housing is cut open on its side which faces the coupling plug body; this affects portions of the height on the top and almost the entire width and is accompanied by the formation of a penetration opening.

By this penetration opening in the junction area between the plug body and the frame housing itis possible to guide electrical lines which are fed in the cable ducts on the upper side of the bearing rail, without any obstacle, also into the range of the junction opening of the frame housing, without requiring a deflection.

To facilitate the connection manipulation, it is preferable to provide the frame housing, on its bottom, with a penetration opening for mounting, which is scalable by a lid-locking device that can be hooked in, or hung in, the single locking screw for this lid or cover reaching into the fastening sleeve of the centering rivet.

Thus, the work can be effected through a relatively large, easily accessible opening that can be sealed easily and'without efiort.

It is also advantageous, that the frame housing is provided at its rear end wall with an opening that can be equipped with a connecting screw, and is sealed with a removable lid and can also be used for the entry of the mains conductor.

It could happen in practice that the mains conductors cannot be insertedfrom above through the frame opening into the interior of the coupling, because they are situated at another location. Within the scope of the present invention, care must then be taken that the mains conductors can be guided through the frame housing into the interior of the same, also from the side.

Finally, the object of the present invention can be supplemented in a preferred manner by outfitting the insertion opening for the mains conductor on the upper side of the frame housing with an attachable rectangularly frameshaped protective insulating collar which braces, on its front side, against the housing frame, by ledges whichlie in a horizontal plane, with a ring-collar portion which extends on both sides of these ledges and is positioned in a vertical plane extending into the interior of the housing, as well as projecting -on the upper side relative to the housing.

This protective collar is required, if the carrier rails are received in suspended ceilings, whereby metallic ceiling plates or the like are provided engaging on the upper side of the frame housing. Because of the insertable, protecting insulating material protection collar, the sharp edges of these suspension sheets do not come in contact with the fed-in ends of the mains conductors, since the protective collar is situated therebetween, at any rate, so that here also an absolute safety is assured.

In summary, the present invention is completely successful altogether in providing coupling members for feeding-in and distributing an electric current, whereby coupling members are distinguished not only by their structural simplicity, but also by their reliability and expediency. An essential advantage is provided also by the construction system of the coupling which may be designed not as a terminal coupling alone, but also as an end piece as a distributor, or a connector, at the same time affording the opportunity to feed-in electrical current also to coupling members that are used as distributors or connectors, as well as to effect a separation of the circuits. Due to a sensible construction of a basic body for terminal couplings, the present invention was successful in obtaining an optimum effect. The object of the present invention deserves particular merit from the structural viewpoint, as well as by its provision of a higher assurance of safety.

With these and other objects in view, which will become apparent in the following detailed description, the present invention, which is shown by example only, will be clearly understood in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an end view of an illuminating device con sisting of a carrier rail, a connection box and a radiation lamp;

FIG. 2 is an elevation of the illuminating device of FIG. 1, turned by a terminal coupling being provided at one side of the carrier rail and an end piece on the other side of the same;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view'of a section of an electric line rail with a terminal coupling shown at one end and an end piece at the other end;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view corresponding with the showing in FIG. 3, the terminal coupling and the end piece being inserted into the rail;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of a terminal coupling of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation of the terminal coupling;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of the coupling, the cover plate being partly broken away;

FIG. 8 is a section along the lines VIII-VIII of FIG.

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the terminal coupling with the closing cover removed, the terminal plate and the guide plate being broken away;

FIG. 10 is a section along the lines XX of FIG. 9, the cover plate, the guide plate and the terminal plate being omitted;

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a protective collar;

FIG. 12 is an end view of an electrical line rail, as well as of a terminal coupling, FIG. 12a showing the electrical line rail and FIG. 12b the terminal coupling;

FIG. 13 is an end view similar to FIG 12, yet the terminal coupling being inserted into the line rail; and

FIGS. 14 to 19 are schematic elevations of the application and utilization of the terminal coupling of the present invention.

Referring now to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, the illumination device disclosed therein comprises at first a profiled carrier rail. A to be secured to a securing face, which carrier rail A has inside thereof a longitudinal central receiving channel 10, into which a terminal box B can be inserted from below, which terminal box B carries a lamp and in particular a radiation lamp C. Within the carrier rail A are disposed in conduit rail carriers D pole bar rails R, S, T, on the one hand, as well as a zero conduit rail M, on the other hand. In addition separated therefrom also a grounding bar rail 11 is provided.

The terminal box B has holding tongues (not shown), on the one hand, which enter longitudinal pockets 12 of the electric carrier rail, as well as contact springs, on the other hand, which cooperate with the pole bar rails R, S, and T and the zero conduit rail M. A particular grounding tongue of the terminal box cooperates with the grounding rail 11 at the same time providing contact.

The electric carrier rail A is connected with the mains by terminal couplings E, which are more clearly described below. At the end remote from the feeding end of the carrier rail an end piece F is mounted, as indicated in FIGS. 3 and 4 of the drawings.

The tenninal coupling E comprises a rectangular frame shaped housing 13 made of insulating material, which continues at one end into a coupling plug body 14, which is set off all around step-like relative to the housing 13 and forms with this housing 13 an integral structural unit. Within this plug body there are provided transmission contact members 15 and 16, which have a substantially Z to S -shaped configuration and are received in insertion pockets 17 and 18 formed in the coupling plug body. The transmission contacts enter pockets, with their contact ends 15a, 16a laterally projecting out of the coupling plug body and are loaded by spreading members 19, which are likewise received in the insertion pockets 17 and 18. In the embodiment shown, by example, these spreading members are designed as fork blade springs, the central range of which grips supportingly a bearing pin 20 and supports itself with one of the arms thereof in the plug body 14 and with the other arm, engaging the contact ends 15 and 16.

The transmission contact ends 15a and 16a are formed as structural elements, having no pivot axis, the ends 15b, 16b of the structural elements extending up into the housing 13and carry here terminal boxes 21 and 50. The part of the plug body having the insertion pockets 17 and 18 is covered at the upper side by a cover plate 22 and at the bottom side by a guide plate 23 jointly with a clamping plate 24 provided in front thereof.

The cover plate 22 extends from the end point of the coupling plug body into the frame housing 13 and covers upwardly the terminal range of the contact end 15b of the upper long swinging transmission contacts 15. The guide plate 23 and the clamping plate 24, however, terminate prior to the contact range, so that the terminal ends 16b are readily accessible in the housing from below.

The guide plate 23 has a width greater than the width of the plug body 14 and engages with its side edges the longitudinal pockets 12 of the electric carrier rail A. The clamping plate 24 has on one side, a polarity nose 24a, which engages a longitudinal slot 25 of the electric carrier rail, the longitudinal guide slot being 25 disposed only at one side of the rail A, and is arranged opposite the grounding rail 11. An insertion of the coupling plug body is thus possible only in one position. Erroneous insertions cannot occur due to the polarity nose.

The cover plate 22, the guide plate 23 and the clamping plate 24 are retained by a joint centering securing sleeve member 26, which passes through the coupling plug body 14. In addition, at the point of the coupling plug body 14, a tension screw 27 is arranged, which is positioned to tension the guide plate 23 and the clamping plate 24 relative to each other, so that a stay of the carrier rail 28 is rigidly clamped therebetween. The tension screw 27 enters in a straddling dowel 29 disposed in a formation of the cover plate cover cup 22.

In the frame housing 13 there is disposed between the terminal boxes 21 and 50 of the transmission contacts 15 and 16, a terminal box 30 for the connection of the grounding rail. To this terminal box 30, a grounding contact 31 is connected, which emerges, set off in planes on different heights relative to the transmission contacts 15 and 16 on one side from the coupling plug body 14 and which forms a grounding member 32, which is disposed extending beyond the transmission contacts 15 and 16.

Since the transmission contacts 15 and 16 are received in pairs adjacent to each other and set off at planes in different heights in the coupling plug body 14, correspondingly thereto also the terminal boxes 21 and 50 are set off in different planes relative to each other. Since in addition the transmission contacts 15 have a length surpassing the length of the transmission contacts 16, the terminal boxes 21 of the transmission contacts 15 are disposed in a plane behind the terminal boxes 50 of the transmission contacts 16. In order to screen the terminal boxes 21 and 50 relative to each other, a separation wall 33 is provided, which stands upright between the terminal box planes.

The mains-connections (not shown), which by example are set in from above through insertion opening 34 in the housing 13, can be connected thus without danger to the terminal boxes 21 and 50. It is in this connection, however, also possible to feed-in the mains connection through the rear end wall, which has an opening 36 capable of being closed by a cover 35.

It is furthermore also possible to insert from above, into the opening 34, a protection collar 37 (FIG. 11) mode of insulating material, which supports itself on the upper side by means of lateral supporting stays 38 and engages with a collar part 37a in the opening, while the collar 37 projects upwardly relative to the opening. This protection collar prevents damages to the terminal conduits, if the coupling is received between ceiling sheets.

On the bottom side, the housing 13 is closed by a cover 39 which is formed by a hook-in or suspension cover having a hooked-in member 40. This cover is retained by a single closing screw 41, which enters centrally into the centering securing sleeve member 26.

The end wall 42 of the housing 13 pointing towards the coupling plug body 14, as particularly clearly visible in FIG. 12, is equipped with a recess 43, which extends over parts of the width and of the height.

The handling of the terminal coupling can be ascertained from FIGS. 3 and 4, as well as FIGS. 12 and 13. During insertion of the terminal coupling E from the backside of the drawing plane in the carrier rail A, at first the grounding member 32 will contact the grounding rail 11 of the electric carrier rail A. During further insertion, the transmission contacts 15 and 16 are pressed inwardly against the pressure of the spreading members 19 and contact the electric rails R, S., T, as well as the zero conduit rail M, set back relative to the end face of the carrier rail A. Additionally a mechanical holding is obtained such, that by operation of the tension screw 27, the clamping plate 24 and the guide plate 23 are tensioned relative to each other and clamp thereby the carrier rail stay 28 of the electric carrier rail A rigidly between itself. By this arrangement, a contact with the electric conduit rail and a mechanical holding to the latter is brought about.

If one omits in this terminal coupling E, the transmission contact 15 and 16, as well as the grounding member 32, one obtains an end piece F, which is retained merely by a mechanical clamping. Further applications are to be seen in FIGS. 14 to 19, whereby for the distribution of the electric current one can form a double coupling G in accordance with FIG. 16 in the same manner, as well as right and left angular couplings H in accordance with FIG. 17. Beyond that also the T- connectors K can be formed with an upwardly and downwardly, disposed stay in accordance with FIG. 18, as well as cross connectors L in accordance with FIG. 19. It is likewise possible to feed-in the current at each connector as well as to transfer the same or interrupt the same, whereby a highly variable structural system is set It is to be understood that the shown and described embodiment is to be seen merely as a possible example for the practical realization of the present invention, that, however, the invention is not limited thereto. Rather within the frame work of the present invention different other embodiments particular in the construction of the terminal coupling are possible, which, however, as long as it offers the advantages of the present invention has to be considered part thereof.

While we have disclosed several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that these embodimentsare given by example only and not in a limiting'sense.

We claim:

I. An apparatus for the feed-in and for the distribution of an electric current in electric line rails, comprisa profiled carrier rail having a longitudinal, central receiving channel,

pole bar rails disposed in superposed planes inside of said profiled carrier rail on both sides of said receiving channel,

a zero conduit rail,

a grounding rail,

both said last mentioned rails being disposed in said receiving channel,

a terminal box carrying a lamp capable of being coupled at any selected point of electric line rails,

a terminal coupling connected at one point of said carrier rail at least one main to said rails on the side of said carrier rail,

an electric line rail comprising at least three of said pole bar rails, said zero conduit rail, and said grounding rail,

said terminal coupling including a frame-shaped housing made of insulating material and being substantially longitudinally rectangularly open in an upward direction and closed in a downward direction by a removable cover,

a coupling plug body having its cross-section adjusted to the cross-section of said longitudinal receiving channel, said plug body integral with at least one end side of said housing and being step-like set-oft all around said housing and projecting relative to the latter,

said coupling plug body having transmission contacts for electric current corresponding with the arrangement of said rails of said electric line rail disposed in planes superposed, adjacent each other in pairs and laterally projecting, and a grounding member extending beyond said transmission contacts and disposed corresponding with said grounding rail on the side of said electric line rail,

said coupling plug body having a clamping means for causing a mechanical clamping holding of said clamping in said electric line rail,

said carrier rail forming longitudinal pockets spaced free from said rails and a longitudinal guide slot in a plane below said pockets, and having therebetween a carrier rail stay,

said clamping means comprising a guide plate, re-

tained on a bottom side of said coupling plug body and engaging over parts of the width on both sides in said longitudinal pockets spaced free from said rails, and a clamping plate insertably disposed in said longitudinal guide slot in said plane therebelow, arranged singly on one side of said carrier rail and free of said contact rails for insuring a non-interchangeability during insertion of said coupling, and

a tension screw disposed clamping together said guide plate and said clamping plate, as well as said carrier rail stay therebetween, against the latter and relative to each other.

2. The apparatus, as set forth in claim I, wherein said transmission contacts comprise substantially Z- to S- shaped contact members,

said coupling plug body defining air-and leakagedistances constituting spaces,

said contact members are received in insertion pockets separated by housing stays formed in said coupling plug body in superposed and adjacent position and are formed as swingable contacts without pivot axes,

a cover plate securing said contact members on an upper side and supported on the upper side of said coupling plug body,

said guide plate securing said contact members on a bottom side and supported by the bottom side of said coupling plug body,

said contact members having ends projecting laterally from said coupling plug body;

a spreading member disposed inside of said coupling plug body and biasing said ends of said contact member, the latter each having a terminal end extending into said housing, and

a terminal box each carried by said terminal end of said contact members.

3. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said spreading member comprises a double-armed, substantially fork-shaped spring member for spreading loading of each of said contact members, and

each of said spring members is mounted with its center range on a bearing pin disposed in said coupling plug body and engages in pretensioned condition said ends of said contact members, respectively.

4. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said ends of said contact members have a flat crosssection and are widened plate-like, and have rounded glide curves at the corners coming into contact engagement, on the side of said electric line rail, with said bar rails terminating at a distance in front of ends of said rails.

5. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said transmission contacts are formed in pairs of equal configuration,

one of said pairs has a length greater than the length of another of said pairs, and

said terminal ends carrying said terminal bores are disposed in planes one behind the other in a side of said housing.

6. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said terminal boxes are disposed in planes above and behind each other and are screened from each other by upright extending separation walls on the sides of said housing and arranged between both of said planes of said terminal boxes.

7. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a grounding contact is disposed in a longitudinal center plane of said coupling plug body between said transmission contacts and is set off by bends at planes of different heights to said transmission ,contacts extending on one side out of said body and is formed with both its ends on the body side substantially to a C-shape supporting member.

8. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cover plate extends into said frame-shaped housing into a range beyond said terminal boxes and covers said transmission contact on said upper side opposite said coupling plug body,

said guide plate terminating on a side of said frameshaped housing prior to the range of said terminal boxes, capsuling said transmission contacts on said bottom side opposite said body, and

said clamping plate is equipped on one side with a polarity nose insertable in said longitudinal guide slot for insuring said non-interchangeability during insertion,

a joint center hollow securing sleeve member passing through said plug body and holding said clamping plate to said plug body. I

9. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said tension screw constituting one mechanical holder of said coupling body causing a relative clamping tension between said guide plate and said clamping plate has a shaft end passing through said plug body,

a straddling dowel received in said cover plate, and

said tension screw engages with said shaft end passing through said plug body said straddling dowel.

10. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing is formed with a recess on 12 a side pointing towards said coupling plug body over parts of the height and approximately over the total width thereof.

11. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing is formed at a bottom side with an opening,

a hook cover closing said opening, and

a closing screw engaging centrally in a centering securing sleeve means for retaining said hook cover on said housing.

12. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing has an opening adapted for a mains entrance, and

a cover equipped with a connection covering closing said opening.

13. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing is formed with an upperside mains entrance opening,

a rectangular frame-shaped protection collar made of insulating material and has lateral supporting stays disposed in a horizontal plane and collar parts on both sides of said supporting stay,

said protection collar is supported by said supporting stays on an end side on said housing and engages inside of said housing with said collar parts and projects on the upper side relative to said housing.

14. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, further comprising of electric current to said at least one coupling.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 783,203 Dated January 1 1974 Inventor- (5) H EINZ SEELBACH, ET. AL.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

On the cover sheet [73] Assignee, "Firma Erco- Leuchten K.G.'," should read Firma ERGO-Leuchten K.G. r-

Signed and sealed this 13th day of August 1974.

(SEAL) Attest:

MCCOY M. GIBSON, JR. C. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents ORM PO-105O (10-69) USqOMM-Dc 80376-P69 v.5, GOVERNMENY PRINUNG OFFICE l9! 9*!56-334. 

1. An apparatus for the feed-in and for the distribution of an electric current in electric line rails, comprising a profiled carrier rail having a longitudinal, central receiving channel, pole bar rails disposed in superposed planes inside of said profiled carrier rail on both sides of said receiving channel, a zero conduit rail, a grounding rail, both said last mentioned rails being disposed in said receiving channel, a terminal box carrying a lamp capable of being coupled at any selected point of electric line rails, a terminal coupling connected at one point of said carrier rail at least one main to said rails on the side of said carrier rail, an electric line rail comprising at least three of said pole bar rails, said zero conduit rail, and said grounding rail, said terminal coupling including a frame-shaped housing made of insulating material and being substantially longitudinally rectangularly open in an upward direction and closed in a downward direction by a removable cover, a coupling plug body having its cross-section adjusted to the cross-section of said longitudinal receiving channel, said plug body integral with at least one end side of said housing and being step-like set-off all around said housing and projecting relative to the latter, said coupling plug body having transmission contacts for electric current corresponding with the arrangement of said rails of said electric line rail disposed in planes superposed, adjacent each other in pairs and laterally projecting, and a grounding member extending beyond said transmission contacts and disposed corresponding with said grounding rail on the side of said electric line rail, said coupling plug body having a clamping means for causing a mechanical clamping holding of said clamping in said electric line rail, said carrier rail forming longitudinal pockets spaced free from said rails and a longitudinal guide slot in a plane below said pockets, and having therebetween a carrier rail stay, said clamping means comprising a guide plate, retained on a bottom side of said coupling plug body and engaging over parts of the width on both sides in said longitudinal pockets spaced free from said rails, and a clamping plate insertably disposed in said longitudinal guide slot in said plane therebelow, arranged singly on one side of said carrier rail and free of said contact rails for insuring a non-interchangeability during insertion of said coupling, and a tension screw disposed clamping together said guide plate and said clamping plate, as well as said carrier rail stay therebetween, against the latter and relative to each other.
 2. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transmission contacts comprise substantially Z- to S-shaped contact members, said coupling plug body defining air-and leakage-distances constituting spaces, said contact members are received in insertion pockets separated by housing stays formed in said coupling plug body in superposed and adjacent position and are formed as swingable contacts without pivot axes, a cover plate securing said contact members on an upper side and supported on the upper side of said coupling plug body, said guide plate securing said contact members on a bottom side and supported by the bottom side of said coupling plug body, said contact members having ends projecting laterally from said coupling plug body, a spreading member disposed inside of said coupling plug body and biasing said ends of said contact member, the latter each having a terminal end extending into said housing, and a terminal box each carried by said terminal end of said contact members.
 3. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said spreading member comprises a double-armed, substantially fork-shaped spring member for spreading loading of each of said contact members, and each of said spring members is mounted with its center range on a beaRing pin disposed in said coupling plug body and engages in pretensioned condition said ends of said contact members, respectively.
 4. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said ends of said contact members have a flat cross-section and are widened plate-like, and have rounded glide curves at the corners coming into contact engagement, on the side of said electric line rail, with said bar rails terminating at a distance in front of ends of said rails.
 5. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein said transmission contacts are formed in pairs of equal configuration, one of said pairs has a length greater than the length of another of said pairs, and said terminal ends carrying said terminal bores are disposed in planes one behind the other in a side of said housing.
 6. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 5, wherein said terminal boxes are disposed in planes above and behind each other and are screened from each other by upright extending separation walls on the sides of said housing and arranged between both of said planes of said terminal boxes.
 7. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein a grounding contact is disposed in a longitudinal center plane of said coupling plug body between said transmission contacts and is set off by bends at planes of different heights to said transmission contacts extending on one side out of said body and is formed with both its ends on the body side substantially to a C-shape supporting member.
 8. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said cover plate extends into said frame-shaped housing into a range beyond said terminal boxes and covers said transmission contact on said upper side opposite said coupling plug body, said guide plate terminating on a side of said frame-shaped housing prior to the range of said terminal boxes, capsuling said transmission contacts on said bottom side opposite said body, and said clamping plate is equipped on one side with a polarity nose insertable in said longitudinal guide slot for insuring said non-interchangeability during insertion, a joint center hollow securing sleeve member passing through said plug body and holding said clamping plate to said plug body.
 9. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said tension screw constituting one mechanical holder of said coupling body causing a relative clamping tension between said guide plate and said clamping plate has a shaft end passing through said plug body, a straddling dowel received in said cover plate, and said tension screw engages with said shaft end passing through said plug body said straddling dowel.
 10. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing is formed with a recess on a side pointing towards said coupling plug body over parts of the height and approximately over the total width thereof.
 11. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing is formed at a bottom side with an opening, a hook cover closing said opening, and a closing screw engaging centrally in a centering securing sleeve means for retaining said hook cover on said housing.
 12. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing has an opening adapted for a mains entrance, and a cover equipped with a connection covering closing said opening.
 13. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing is formed with an upperside mains entrance opening, a rectangular frame-shaped protection collar made of insulating material and has lateral supporting stays disposed in a horizontal plane and collar parts on both sides of said supporting stay, said protection collar is supported by said supporting stays on an end side on said housing and engages inside of said housing with said collar parts and projects on the upper side relative to said housing.
 14. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, further comprisinG an end piece formed as a contact free body mechanically clampingly and insertable into an end of said carrier rail.
 15. The apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said frame-shaped housing has connected thereto at least one coupling for distribution of an electric current in addition to said coupling plug body, each including additional transmissions contacts and grounding members provided on sides of said housing other than that of said coupling plug body and having an entrance opening for a selective feed-in of electric current to said at least one coupling. 